Process of uniting metals



what is-believed to be a thin alloy film to form, between the contacting surfaces .of

the two metals, and/or a vpenetration of, eitheror bothof the metals into each other. 5 Although I- believe the connection formed to be joined together.

Patented oaqv, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

JOHN B. AUSTIN, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

rnocnss or Umrrne METALS.-

No Drawing. 1

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN B. AUSTIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland in the county of Cuyahoga and State of ()hio, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Processes of Uniting Metals, of which the following is a I specification.

This invention relates to the art of uniting metals or metallic articles and especially to the uniting of copper to steel. It relates to the process of integrally uniting metals or metallic articles with what is believed to be an alloyed junction therebetween. It also relates to the process of removing oxides from molten copper and the formation of dense substantially non-porous metal faces, substantially in the absence of gases and of an oxidizing atmosphere.

Broadly considered my process consists in melting one metal so as to form a bath thereof in contact with another metal and disseminating throughout the bath of molten metal a quantity of a reagent ca-- pable of removing combined oxides from the molten bath and either removing occluded gases therefrom or retaining them in SOlLl-r tion after solidification .of the, metal and also .toremoveany surface oxide from the other metal. "The molten bath is maintained at a temperature sufficiently high and for a period of time sufliciently long to cause I between-the two metals by my precess to be in the nature of an alloy or a thin alloy film, it may be a mutual inter-penetration .1 of the metals. Accordinglyl desire to be Application filed January 2, 1923. Serial No. 610,847.

understood, whenever I use. the terms alloy, alloy film, alloy junction or similar expressions herein as. referring to the junction formed between the two metals, whatever its exact character and structure may be provided it is similar to that formed by my process.

The reagent may be added in various ways preferably by being first incorporated in an ingot of metal Which is drawn into a rod or wire and then added to the molten bath. Or it may be added .as a powder or incorporated as a constituent of the metallic article to be melted or the mold employed to hold the molten metal or added in any suitable manner. This reagent which is added to the bath is thoroughly disseminated, preferably by being continuously introduced in relatively small quantities so that the bath is built up by a succession of layers or additions which are successively heated until any occluded gases have been removed orrendered harmless and the oxide de--= stroycd. This may be accomplished by causing the heating flame to play upon the surface of the bath as the surfaces are cleaned and the desired temperature attained, the alloying of the articles taking place between clean nonoxidized surfaces, thus uniting the metals out of contactwith the atmosphere or any gases and without substantiallyany intervening oxide. .This

alloying reaction is usually indicated by the formation of a-concave surface of thecopper bath at the point where it contacts with the iron.

By the teriii freagent as employed in this application I mean any substance, element, compound or mixture as metallic silicon possessing the propery of (l) Reacting with occluded gases in the molten metal bath to permit their escape or to render them harmless by retaining them in solution in the metal as it solidifies,

(2) Reacting withany oxidesin a molten bath to. alter the form-of the oxide and remove it, I 3 I (3) Reacting with'any, oxide on the surface ofametal in contact withsuch a bath to alter the oxide and remove it, and

. (4) Reactingwith.anyv gases in themolt- I en metal adj acent the surface thereof to per-.

mit their escape or to render them harmless by retaining .them ifisolution in the metal as it solidifies] The exact temperature of the metal formbeen formed between the contacting surfaces of the metals.

to'steel, it consists in placing the metals in surface contact. The copper may be held in any suitable manner, for example by 10- eating the portions thereof in contact with the steel in a carbon mold which will retain heat, and which may be of any well known construction. A portion of the copper'is melted in themold cavity and a predetermined quantity of a reagent such as silicon is added thereto in a suitable manner, for example, from a copper rod containing from about 2% to about 3% silicon. The heat foreffecting the melting may be applied by various means, such for example as an electric arc,- a suitable gas flame or bther heat ing medium, it only being necessary that such medium be capable of heating the article and molten metal to the desired temperature above the melting point of copper. A portion of this rod is melted by the heating flame until it enters and commingles with the molten bath and the bath is heated until the molten metal becomes fluid, as compared with copper at a temperature just above the melting point, thereof, and the molten metal melts the steel as indicated by a ripple like movement which takes place on the surface with the formation of a concave surface resembling a meniscus adja: cent the steel. These changes indicate the completion of the reactions and the uniting of the metals. Additional portions of the copper are then melted and silicon is added thereto until the occluded gases and oxides are either removed or rendered harmless, as

the case may be, and the "alloying takes place, as indicated by the formation of the meniscus. This operation is repeated until the body of copper has been melted and what is believed to be an alloy film has It will be observed that the alloying or un'iting of the'mctals takes place while one. metal .is molten and in contact with the other and after substantially'all' gases, slag formations and oxides have been removed from between the metals and fromf'within the molten metal. The alloying orun'iting thus is effected between clean metal surfaces in the absence of clean metals under most. advantageous circumstances. In this case it .is desired not to melt any appreciable amount of the steel menace portion unites with the copper. I have found in commercial practice that this desired melting may befobtained eflioiently and economically by the use of a carbon arc. This are may be played upon the copper so as to melt not only-a portion of the copper to be joined to the steel but also the copper rod containing the reagent, and this melting maybe and preferably is effected without causing the flame of the arcto come in contact with the steel. Further, I have found that the heating also may be accomplished effidiently and economic-ally by using the copper rod containing the reagent as one electrode of a metallic arc the work constituting the other electrode. ere

again the heating may be effected without applying the flame of the metallic. arc to the steel, confining it 'merely to the copper in its solid and molten state. In fact, where either the carbon are or metallic arc is used as I have just mentioned, the arc may be.

directed upon the copper in such manner as to create a molten bath which may be maintained molten by directing the are against it until the desired reactions have taken place and to the naked eye the molten metal in the .bath appears quiet and free from the effects of escaping gases. It will be understood that when the arc is directed upon the surface of the molten metal the Well known force of the arc agitates the molten metal 'thereby undoubtedly assisting or facilitating. the thorough dissemination of the reagent throughout the molten metal and expediting the desired reactions of the reagent. In the same manner any suitable heating flame other than, an electric arc, for example a gas flame, may serve not only to maintain the-metal in molten condition,

can be first melted to form a portion of the bath and then the copper article can be melted into this bath. When itis not desired to unite a cbpper article .to a ferrous article but merely to unite only a small amount of copper, all of. which is to be ,melted, to the ferrous. article, it will be un--. ases' or an oxidizing atmosphere, perm tting interpenetration of the,

derstood that it is only necessary to melt the copper in the presence of the proper amount of silicon and maintain the .:tem-' perature' and" heat ng conditions substans tially "as. disclosed hereinabove until the metals unite.

In case it is desired to imite two articles of'iron or'steel bya copper alloy between the same, the articles are placed in position with their surfaces to be unitedslightly spaced apart and copper silicon rod, or cop 5 per to which silicon is"continuously added is melted into said spaceand maintained at :such a temperature and under such conditions that the copper will unite w ith the lron. Z By means of this process copper can be united to steel or two articles of steel can be united by a body of copper alloyed to each, without melting" an appreciable vamount of the iron, or, so far as I am able to determine disadvantageously changing the physical character thereof.

This process is available for use for many industrial purposes, for example. in the welding "of copper bonds to steel rails, in

welding copper terminals to iron rods and for numerous other purposes.

It is believed that the process is also applicable to welding copper to other metals but specific application of this process to,

.suchother metals will be set forth in separate applications for patent. g It will be understood that I do 'not limit myself to silicon as a reagent for use. in my process, as other substitutes and equivalents are known or may ,be found, for example, manganese or aluminum'may be used in connection with the welding of copper. to steel. I

It is also recognized that changes and modifications within the knowledge and skill of those skilled in the art may beemployed Without departing from the spirit of my invention, the scope of which is defined. by what is claimed.

' Furthermore it is to be understood that the "particular forms of apparatus shown and described, and the particular procedure set forth, are presented for purposes of explanation and illustration" and that various modifications of said apparatus and procedure can bemade without departing from my invention as defined in the appended claims. l v

What I claim is:

' which has an, oxidized sur ace, which comprises'melting one of the said metals in 1. The process of unit-in metals, one of dized surface and in the presence of a re stance, and heating the molten metal until substantially all oxide has been removed from the surface of said other metal which is in contact with the said molten metal and until the metals unite throughout their contacting surfaces and are joined together.

3. The process of uniting a non-ferrous inetahto a ferrous metal having an' oxidized surface which comprises bringing the non-ferrous metal in molten form into contact with the said ferrous metal in the presence of an oxide removing substance and heating the metals until the said substance has removed the oxide from the surfaces of the ferrous metal in contact with the non-ferrous metal and until the nonwith the ferrous metal having an oxidized surface in the presence of a reagent capable of reacting with metallic. oxides to fomn a slag, heating the'molten non-ferrous metal without melting a substantial amount of theferrous metal until a molten slag is formed on the non-ferrous metal and an alloy film is formed throughout the nono-xidzized contacting surfaces of the said metals.

6. The process of uniting non-ferrous and ferrous metals which comprises bringing molten non-ferrous metal into contact with the ferrous metal having an oxidized surface in the presence of a reagent capable of rea'cting with metallic oxides to form a slag, heating the molten non-ferrous metal bymeans of an electric are directed thereon without meltinga-substantial amount of the ferrous metal until amolten slag is formed on the non-ferrous metal and an alloy film is formed throughout the non-oxidized con-- tactingsurfaces of the said metals.

7. The process of uniting copper to'a'fer rous metal which comprises bringing the molten coppericontaini'ng silicon into contact with the ferrousmetal having an OX1- dized surface, heating the copper wlthout melting a substantial amount of the ferrous metal until a .slag containing silicon is formed on the molten copper and an alloy film isformed throughout substantially the deoxidized contacting surfaces of the said metals. V

8, The process of uniting non-ferrous until the non-ferrous-metal wets the ferrous metal substantially throughout the deoxidized contacting surfaces. v

9. The process of uniting copper to steel which comprises bringing the copper in molten condition into, contact with the steel having an oxidized surface in the presence of silicon, heating the copper without melting a substantial amount of the steel until a molten slag forms onthe copper and until the molten copper wets the steel substantially throughout the non-oxidized contacting surfaces.

10. The process of uniting copper to steel which comprises bringing molten copper containing silicon into contact with the steel having an oxidized surface and applying heat directly to the molten copper until substantially all oxide has been removed from the surface of the steel which is in' contact 4 with the copper and until the copper has united with. the steel throughout their con tacting surfaces. y

11. The process of uniting a copper article to a steel article which comprises melting a portion of the said copper article into contact with the steel article having an oxidized surface in the presence of silicon and applying heat directly to the molten copper until any oxide on the steel article in contact with tne molten copper has been removed and un til the molten copper has penetrated slightly into the steel article.

12. The process of uniting a copper article .to a steel article which comprises melting a portion of the said copper article into contact with the teel article having an oxidized surface in the presence of silicon and applying heat directly to the molten copper by means of an electric arc until any oxide on the steel article in contact with the molten copper has been removed and until the mol- .ten copper has penetrated slightly into the steel article. a

13. The process of uniting metals having oxidized surfaces which comprises bringing into contact with the said surfaces molten metal containing an oxide removing substance, applying heat under suitable conditions of time and temperature to cause the said oxideremoving substance to react with the said oxidized surfaces and .to'expose deoxidized metallic surfaces tor-the molten metal and cause it to unite therewith in the absence of gases and oxides.

ion the nettlethe said oxidized surfaces and to deoxidize' said metallic surfaces beneath the surface of said molten metal, and to cause said metals to unite in theabsence of gases and oxides.

15. The process of uniting metals which comprises bringing the metals into contact.

with each other,-melting one of the metals, disseminating throughout the molten metal a reagent capable of reacting with metallic oxides to remove the same, causing the re agent to remove oxides from the molten 'metal and any oxide from the surfaces of contact of the metals, and causing an alloy film to unite the metals throughout their contacting surfaces.

16. The process of uniting metals which comprises bringing the metals into contact with each other, melting one of the metals and disseminating throughout the molten metal areagent capable of reacting with metallic oxides to remove the same, heating the molten metal by. an electric are thus causing the reagent to react with the oxides from the molten metal and from the surfaces of contact of the metals and remove the same, and thereby ermitting an alloy film to unite the metalst iroughout their contacting surfaces.

I 7 The process of uniting metals which comprises bringing the metals into contact with each other, melting one of the metals, disseminating throughout the molten metal oxides to remove the same, heating the reagent a molten metal to remove oxides from the molten metal and any oxide from the surfaces of contact of the metals, and causing an alloy film to unite the metals throughout their cont-acting surfaces.

18. The process of uniting copper and steel which comprises bringing molten copper containing silicon into contact with steel per to a temperature above the melting point thereof and maintaining I the temperature until the oxides are removed from the copper and from the surface of the steel and by means of an electric arc directed -having an oxidized surface, heating the copa reagent capable of reacting with metallic the metals unite with each other substan tially Without any intervening oxide or nonmetallic substances throughout their contacting surfaces.

20. The process of uniting copper to steel which comprises melting the copper adjacent to the steel and heating the copper above its melting point in the presence of a deoxidizing reagent by directing a flame upon the copper without directing the flame upon the steel and maintaining the copperabove its melting point without melting a substantial amount of the steel until the copper wets the steel and a substantially clean, nonporous alloy junction is formed between the copper and the steel throughout their contacting surfaces.

21. The process of uniting copper to steel which comprises melting the copper adjacent to the steel and heating the copper above its melting point in the presence of a deoxidizing reagent by directing an electric are upon the copper without directing the arc-upon the steel and maintaining the copper above its melting point without meltin a substantial amount of the steel until t e copper wcts the steel and a substantially clean, non-porous alloy junction is formed between the copper and the steel "throughout their contacting surfaces.

22. The, process of uniting copperto steel which comprises striking an arc with a copper electrode, melting copper by said are in the presence of a deoxidizing reagent into contact with the steel without directing the are upon the steel and maintaining the molten copper above, its melting oint until the copper wets the steel and a su stantially clean, non-porous alloy junction is formed between the cop-per and the steel through out their contacting surfaces.

23. The process of uniting copper and steel having an oxidized surface which consists in' successively melting separate .portions of copper adjacent to the steel Without melting the steel, and supplying silicon to such successively melted portions in quantities suflicient to reduce or remove any oxide from the surface of the steel with which the molten copper contacts, and maintaining the copper at a temperature above its melting point and below the meltin point of the steel until any oxide is removed from the surface of the steel in contact with the molten copper and until an alloy film is formed 1 throughout their contacting surfaces.

, 24. The process of uniting metals which comprises bringing two metals having oxidized surfaces in the solidstate substantially .into surface contact with each other, melting one of the said metals, causing a reagent to remove oxides from the molten metal and any oxide from the surfaces of contact of the metals so as to permit the metals in contact beneath the surface of the molten metal to unite, and maintaining a heating flame upon the molten metal until the reaction of the reagent substantially is completed and the metals have united throughout substantially deoxidized contacting surfaces.

25. The process of uniting metals which comprises bringing two metals having oxidized surfaces in the solid state substantially into surface contact with each other, melting one of the said metals by the application thereto of heat from an electric arc, disseminating throughout the molten metal a reagent capable of reacting With metallic oxides to remove the same, causing said reagent under influence of the electric arc to remove oxides from the molten metal and any oxide fromv the contacting surfaces of the metals so as to permit the thus cleaned metals in contact beneath the surface of the molten metal to unite, and maintaining vthe electric are upon the molten metal until the reaction of the reagent substantially is completed and the metals have united throughout substantially deoxidized contacting surfaces.

26. The process of uniting metals which comprises bringing two metals having ox dized'surfaces in the solid state substantially into surface contact with each other, melting one of said metals by the application of heat from an electric are, .one electrode of which is constituted by one of said metals and the other electrode of which is con- .stituted by a rod of the same metal having to remove oxides from the molten metal and from the contacting surfaces of the metals so as to permit the thus cleaned metals in contact beneath the surface of the molten metal to unite, and maintaining the electric are upon .the molten metal until the reaction of the reagent substantially is completed and the metals have united throughout substantially deoxidized contacting surfaces.

27. The process of uniting copper and iron which consists in adding. silicon to the copper and causing the same to be disseminated throughout the copper, then melting the copper into contact with iron, causing the silicon to react with any oxide on the surface of the iron in contact with the JOHN. B. AusTi-nj; 

